Born to Run

Nearly every morning for reasons I have never before understood, Miss R. gets up while the rest of the world is still asleep and laces up her shoes to go running. Watching her adjust the setting on her mp3 player before she heads out the door I ask myself why anyone would run just to be running. I mean, as far as I can tell, she isn't running toward food, or away from anything that might be chasing her, like a dog. So, why run? Fast forward to the last day of school. Miss R. came home from her classroom bearing gifts from her students, and one bag was for me! It contained gifts from MO #14! There was a fun catnip ball (mmmm, catnip brings out my inner kitten) and a beautiful peacock feather teaser. Plus, a live catnip plant that Miss R. put on the breakfast bar, but which I am determined to eat just as soon as she leaves the house for any length of time. Anyway, I have been playing nonstop with my new cat toys and even though I don't like to brag, I am sure I have already lost a few inches. My abs are now rock hard. You just can't see them under all the fat. Nonetheless, I think I am beginning to understand why Miss R. would work out just for the fun of it. Thanks MO #14 for helping me to see the light. Now, I just need to nap...that work out left me exhausted.

Spring Break

Don't judge me when I confess to you the following: I'm jealous of all of you students in Room 110. Why am I jealous, you may well ask? I'll tell you. It's because you get a whole week of that wondeful luxury known simply as "Spring Break." That means you get a whole week to "break" from all your labors. Labors is a fancy word that used here means hard work. You get to relax, read a good book, have fun writing your Young Authors Day stories, or just stare out the window and day dream. Well, what about me? When do I get to take a break from all my labors? When do I get to relax and do nothing? You know, I don't like to complain, but my life is not as easy as I make it seem. For example, I spend a lot of anxious hours at night poised, waiting for Miss R. to sleep, before I began meowing for food, water, or to be let out. That kind of waiting is stressful and takes a lot of energy. During the day, I have to interrupt my napping to get up, yes get up, and move across the floor in order to keep up with the sunbeams. That's a lot of moving. Then again, no one brings my food to me. I actually have to walk all the way to the kitchen if I want to eat or drink. That's a lot of work. Far be it from me to complain, but my daily schedule is grueling and I could use a Spring Break from all my labors. (Here "labors" is a word that means I have to actually walk from my napping spot to the kitchen if I want to eat.) So, free me from my life of slavery and share with me what you did or are doing during your lovely break.

At Long Last

Finally, my great contributions to the world in general, and to felines in particular have been duly recognized, as they should be, with a statue of yours truly. Indeed, like the ancient greek heroes, I have been memorialized in stone (OK, ceramic, but that's practically the same thing) by a truly gifted artist. AC #5, in Miss R.'s class created this likeness of me and as you can see, he has done a masterful job of capturing my handsomeness. My neighbor Bob says handsomeness isn't even a word, but what does he know? It's not like anyone created a statue of him! Hah!

Happy New Year????

Can you believe that New Year's Day is my neighbor Bob's favorite holiday? Unbelievable! I mean, as far as I understand, there is no food at all involved in the celebration of this holiday. In fact, this holiday always has the exact opposite effect on my human, Miss R. For reasons I fail to understand, this is the time of year when she completely purges her cupboards of all the deliciously fattening baked goods and candy that have been gathering there since Halloween and replaces them with..............vegetables! Vegetables? Really?! What is the point of that?! What's worse? Every January 1, she renews her efforts to "help" me "realize my fitness goals." What can she be thinking? This year in her misguided efforts, she replaced my huge, sturdy food dishes with a teeny tiny one that barely has any room for all the food required to nourish a big boy like me. Supposedly, the smaller dish will trick me into thinking I'm eating more than the mere pittance she is allowing me. Seriously, all her dieting seems to have shrunken her brain cells! I'd write more about all the reasons I can't stand this time of year, but my energy has completely dwindled away due to lack of proper nourishment. Somebody please, FEED ME!

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things.......

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Forgive me, boys and girls in Room 110, but my neighbor Bob has been humming that song for the last few days and now I can't get the melody out of my furry, little brain. Seriously, what kind of cat sings songs about dogs biting?! Bob is a strange one, indeed, but I do love this time of year. Miss R. has FINALLY decorated our apartment for the holidays and everything looks so pretty and festive. I like it best when she sets up the McDonaldland toy train set around the trunk of the Christmas tree. She got that train set when she was younger than all of you, and she only brings it out this time of year. I love it because it gets me daydreaming of trains full of Big Macs and Quarter Pounders being delivered right to my favorite napping spot. You read that right. I love to nap beneath the tree. The lights don't bother me at all, because you see, Christmas trees remind Miss Rotz of Christmas gifts and seeing me beneath the tree reminds her of buying gifts for me. Ooooh, I hope she buys me a train full of Big Macs and Quarter Pounders.....mmmmmmm.

Thankfulness

The days are dwindling down to my very favorite holiday of the year.  Can you guess which one that is?  Of course, I am talking about Thanksgiving.  Who couldn't love a holiday that celebrates eating?  However, my neighbor Bob insists that Thanksgiving is not about food at all, but rather is about "giving thanks."  Indeed, Bob has begun spending a few moments each morning on his deck to "reflect" as he calls it, on something for which he is thankful.  "It puts me in the right frame of mind for the upcoming holiday," he insists.  "You should follow my example, Oliver.  After all, you do want to be thankful, don't you?"

Well, duh...of course, I'm thankful.  I'm thankful for turkey.  I'm thankful for mashed potatoes and gravy.  I'm thankful for stuffing....oooooh, yes....stuffing!  I'm also thankful for pumpkin pie and apple cider and cranberry sauce.  Ooooh, the list just goes on and on.

How about you?  What are some things for which you are thankful?

Happy Halloween

Aaaaah....poor Bob. Bob is my neighbor and every Halloween his human insists on dressing him up in costumes. Each year's seems even more humiliating then the previous one. Bob was relieved when his human said that this year he would only have to wear a mask. Then he saw this monstrosity and in his own words feels, "utterly ridiculous." Boy, am I glad that Miss R. never dresses me up for this holiday. I am curious. What are you all wearing for Halloween thisyear?